Combining Grape Byproducts to Maximise Biological Activity of Polyphenols in Chickens

Grape seeds (GS) and grape skins (GK) are natural sources of polyphenols with antioxidant capacity. An experiment was conducted to investigate in chickens the effect of including GS and GK (40 g/kg), individually or combined in different proportions (20 g/kg GS–20 g/kg GK; 30 g/kg GS–10 g/kg GK; 10 g/kg GS–30 g/kg GK), in a corn-soybean diet on growth performance, ileal and excreta contents of total extractable polyphenols (TEP) and tannins, ileal digestibility of protein, plasma and meat α-tocopherol concentration and lipid oxidation (assessed by measuring the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) of stored thigh meat. Neither growth performance parameters nor ileal digestibility of protein were affected by dietary treatments. As compared with control birds, chickens fed the grape byproduct diets showed higher ileal (p < 0.001) and excreta (p < 0.001) TEP and tannins contents. Dietary inclusion of grape byproducts increased α-tocopherol concentration both in plasma (p < 0.001) and in thigh meat (p < 0.01 at 1 d; p < 0.001 at 7 d), as compared with the control group. The highest plasma α-tocopherol concentrations were reached with the 30 g/kg GS–10 g/kg GK and 20 g/kg GS–20 g/kg GK combinations. On day 1 of meat storage, no differences on meat α-tocopherol concentration were found among the grape byproducts treatments but on day 7 of storage, the 20 g/kg GS–20 g/kg GK and 10 g/kg GS–30 g/kg GK combinations led to the highest α-tocopherol concentrations in chicken thigh meat. After seven days of refrigerated storage of meat, the TBARS value was lower in chickens fed the grape byproducts diets than in control birds (1.27 vs. 2.49 mg MDA/kg, p < 0.001). Moreover, among the different grape byproduct treatments, the lowest MDA values were reached with the diets containing GK at rates from 20 to 40 g/kg. In conclusion, dietary incorporation of 40 g/kg of GS and GK added separately or combined increased the plasma and meat α-tocopherol content. Furthermore, the combinations of GS and GK with a proportion of GK of at least 50% optimised α-tocopherol concentration both in plasma and in thigh meat and mitigated lipid oxidation in 7-day stored meat.

Influence of dietary olive paste flour on the performance and oxidative stress in chickens raised in field conditions

Olive oil contains a variety of antioxidants, including vitamin E. Its consumption protects against oxidative stress, which is involved in many pathological conditions, affecting animals’ development and their general welfare. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of olive paste flour (OPF) on the antioxidant status and performance of broiler chickens raised in field conditions. Total of 18.000 broilers was randomly allocated in equal numbers in two poultry houses. The chickens were grouped according to their diet as follows: Control group: chickens fed commercial poultry feed, and OPF group: chickens fed control dietsin the starter period, but they got a supplement of OPF in grower, and finisher 1 and 2periods, respectively. The birds were raised under identical field conditions (ventilation, vaccination, lighting, etc.). Antioxidant status was assessed by measuring the concentration of vitamin E in plasma, as well as the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma and muscle tissue. According to the statistical analysis of the results, the addition of OPF to chickens’ diet significantly enhanced plasma α-tocopherol concentration (p≤0.05). TAC did not show any significant differences in chicken plasma nor muscle tissue(p>0.05).Feed intake (FI) was higher in OPF group, while Body weight (BW) was lower. Liveability was similar for the two groups. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was higher, and the European production efficiency factor (EPEF) was lower in broilers of the OPF group compared to those of the control group.Samples of roasted breast from chickens of both groups were used for organoleptic characteristics evaluation. Results showed that samples of the OPF group smelled more intensely and were more tasteful than those of the control group.However, other organoleptic characteristics did not differ. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that although the addition of OPF to chickens’ diet can cause growth retardation, it can significantly increase the plasma α-tocopherol concentration. Further studies are needed to optimize the concentration of OPF in poultry feed in order to avoid growth retardation or even to promote growth in broiler chicks.

The administration of diets contaminated with low to intermediate doses of deoxynivalenol and supplemented with antioxidants and binding agents slightly affects the growth, antioxidant status and vaccine response in weanling pigs

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of grading levels of deoxynivalenol (DON) in the diet of weaned pigs, as well as the effects of a supplementation with antioxidants (AOX), hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicates (HSCAS) and their combination on the growth, antioxidant status, immune and vaccine response against the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2). At weaning, 336 piglets were allocated to six dietary treatments according to a randomized complete block design. Treatments were as follows: basal diet (CTRL); basal diet containing DON at 1.2 mg/kg (DON1.2); basal diet containing DON at 2.4 mg/kg (DON2.4); DON2.4 diet + a mix of AOX which included vitamins A and E at 20,000 IU and 200 IU/kg feed respectively, selenized yeast at 0.3 mg/kg and a grape seed extracts at 100 mg/kg feed (DON2.4+AOX); DON2.4 diet + modified HSCAS at 1 g/kg (DON2.4+HSCAS); DON2.4+AOX+HSCAS. Pigs were vaccinated against PRRSV and PCV2 at 7 d; at 0, 14 and 35 d growth performance were recorded, and blood samples were collected in order to evaluate the oxidative status, inflammatory blood markers, lymphocyte blastogenic response and vaccine antibody response. Increasing intake of DON resulted in a quadratic effect at 35 d in the lymphocyte proliferative response to Concanavalin A and PCV2 as well as in the anti-PRRSV antibody response, whereas the catalase activity decreased in DON2.4 pigs compared to the CTRL and DON1.2 groups (P ≤ 0.05). Compared to the DON2.4 diet, the AOX supplementation slightly reduced G:F ratio (P = 0.026) and increased the ferric reducing ability of plasma as well as α-tocopherol concentration (P &lt; 0.05), whereas the association AOX+HSCAS increased the anti-PRRSV IgG (P &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the HSCAS supplement reduced haptoglobin levels in serum at 14 d compared to the DON2.4 group; however, its concentration decreased in all the experimental treatments from 14 d to 35 d and particularly in the DON2.4+AOX pigs, whereas a different trend was evidenced in the DON2.4+HSCAS group, where over the same period haptoglobin concentration increased (P &lt; 0.05). Overall, our results show that the addition of AOX and HSCAS in the diet may alleviate the negative effects due to DON contamination on the antioxidant status and immune response of vaccinated weanling pigs.

Chronic Vitamin E Deficiency in Rural Bangladeshi Women

Objectives Vitamin E deficiency (VED) appears to be common in rural areas of South Asia, with prevalence of ≥ 50% reported among women of reproductive age. Long term deficiency may impart neurological damage, but little information exists about persistence of VED. We provide initial estimates of chronic VED (CVED) in women of reproductive age living in Gaibandha District, a typical rural setting in NW Bangladesh. Methods We assessed α-tocopherol concentrations by HPLC in early pregnancy and 3-month postpartum (PP) plasma samples of women participating in biochemical sub-studies of JiVitA-1 (n = 2,319), a cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled, weekly vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation trial from 2001–7, and JiVitA-3 (N = 2,073), a cluster-randomized, daily multiple micronutrient (MMS) versus iron-folic acid (IFA) supplementation trial from 2008–12. VED was conventionally defined by an α-tocopherol concentration &lt; 12 μmol/L and CVED as α-tocopherol &lt; 12 μmol/L at both early pregnancy and postpartum assessments, an interval spanning a median (IQR) of 9.4 (2.8) months. Results Across both trials combined (N = 4,392), the mean ± SD plasma α-tocopherol concentration and prevalence of VED in early pregnancy and at 3 months post-partum was 11.28 ± 4.07 and 10.86 ± 4.41 μmol/L, and 53.5% and 42.2%, respectively. In JiVitA-3, the post-partum prevalence of VED among women not previously receiving MMS (containing 15 mg of vitamin E as all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate) was 57.5% (vs 42.5% among MMS recipients, p &lt; 0.001). The prevalence of CVED among women in both trials combined was 32.0% (34.45% in JiVitA-1 and 26.65% in JiVitA-3, IFA group only). Across a maternal age range of 11–43 [median: 20 (IQR: 8) years, risk of CVED decreased comparably per year of age in the JiVitA-1 [OR = 0.94 (95% CI: 0.93–0.95)] and JiVitA-3 [OR = 0.93 (95% CI:0.92–0.95)] trials. Conclusions In rural NW Bangladesh, where over half of women enter pregnancy vitamin E-deficient, about one-third are also deficient postpartum, ∼10 months later, providing a provisional estimate of chronic maternal vitamin E deficiency in a South Asian setting. Funding Sources Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Grant GH614, OPP1141435) and US Agency for International Development (AID (HRN-A-00–97-00015–00).

Antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects of tocopherol during the storage of Flat-European hybrid hazelnut oil

In order to analyze promotion and antioxidant effects of tocopherol in Flat-European hybrid hazelnut Oil, different amounts of α and δ-tocopherol were added into the purified Flat-European hybrid hazelnut oil and accelerated at 62 ℃ for 20 days to simulate the storage process of it, and the peroxidation index was measured respectively. Compared with the purified Flat-European hybrid hazelnut oil without tocopherol, the inflection point of tocopherol concentration and the change trend of its oxidation index were observed, and the antioxidant effects of several antioxidants in the hazelnut oil were compared, which provided a theoretical basis for adding antioxidants during storage of Flat-European hybrid hazelnut oil. When the content of α-tocopherol in Flat-European hybrid hazelnut oil filtered from tocopherol or normal one is respectively less than 500mg/kg or 300mg/kg, which plays an anti-oxidation effect. If it exceeds this value, it will act as a pro-oxidant effect, but δ-tocopherol has no such phenomenon. During the storage of oil with two kinds of tocopherol, α-tocopherol has better anti-oxidation ability than δ-tocopherol . The antioxidant effects of various antioxidants in hazelnut oil are: gallic acid> TBHQ> VC> tocopherol. Under the addition conditions specified in the national standard, gallic acid, TBHQ, VC, α-tocopherol and δ-tocopherol can prolong the storage period of Flat-European hybrid hazelnut oil at room temperature by 720.3, 318, 42.3, 19.5, and 9.6 days respectively compared with that without addition.

Genetic prerequisites for reducing serum tocopherol concentration

Тhis review is based on literature data analysis on genetic markers associated with vitamin E metabolism. We focus on the SNPs associated with different pathologic conditions: a decrease of active form of vitamin E in serum. Also reviewed the current recommendations on nutrition and drug treatment of hypovitaminosis.

Brain α-tocopherol concentration is inversely associated with neurofibrillary tangle counts in brain regions affected in earlier Braak stages: A cross-sectional finding in the oldest old

Objectives: Higher vitamin E status has been associated with lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, evidence of the association of vitamin E concentration in neural tissue with AD pathologies is limited. Design: The cross-sectional relationship between the human brain concentrations of α- and γ-tocopherol and the severity of AD pathologies – neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) and neuritic plaque (NP) – was investigated. Setting & Participants: Brains from 43 centenarians (≥ 98 years at death) enrolled in the Phase III of the Georgia Centenarian Study were collected at autopsy. Measurements: Brain α- and γ-tocopherol concentrations (previously reported) were averaged from frontal, temporal, and occipital cortices. NP and NFT counts (previously reported) were assessed in frontal, temporal, parietal, entorhinal cortices, amygdala, hippocampus, and subiculum. NFT topological progression was assessed using Braak staging. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess the relationship between tocopherol concentrations and NP or NFT counts, with and without adjustment for covariates. Results: Brain α-tocopherol concentrations were inversely associated with NFT but not NP counts in amygdala (β = -2.67, 95% CI [-4.57, -0.79]), entorhinal cortex (β = -2.01, 95% CI [-3.72, -0.30]), hippocampus (β = -2.23, 95% CI [-3.82, -0.64]), and subiculum (β = -2.52, 95% CI [-4.42, -0.62]) where NFT present earlier in its topological progression, but not in neocortices. Subjects with Braak III-IV had lower α-tocopherol (median = 69,622 pmol/g, IQR = 54,389-72,155 pmol/g) than those with Braak I-II (median = 72,108 pmol/g, IQR = 64,056-82,430 pmol/g), but the difference was of borderline significance (p = 0.063). γ-Tocopherol concentrations were not associated with either NFT or NP counts in any brain regions assessed. Conclusions: Higher brain α-tocopherol level is specifically associated with lower NFT counts in brain structures affected in earlier Braak stages. Our findings emphasize the possible importance of α-tocopherol intervention timing in tauopathy progression and warrant future clinical trials.